The Marston Sunbeam Club & Register Forum

General Category => Beamers General Discussion Forum => Topic started by: iansoady on March 01, 2016, 12:05:54 PM

Title: Will it run?
Post by: iansoady on March 01, 2016, 12:05:54 PM
Just completed (bar a few minor touch-ups) the restoration of my Model 10 Sunbeam. I'm giving it a final check over before I attempt to start it which will hopefully be tomorrow.

Before:

  (http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/iansoady/bike/Sunbeam/sunbeam%20small_zpshzunvyws.jpg)

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/iansoady/bike/Sunbeam/sunbeam%206_zpsxnshljlh.jpg)

After:

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/iansoady/bike/Sunbeam/After%20restoration/IMG_3623_zpsq5pwyucy.jpg)

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/iansoady/bike/Sunbeam/After%20restoration/IMG_3626_zpsvmdin0ob.jpg)

Title: Re: Will it run?
Post by: VicYouel on March 01, 2016, 02:45:58 PM
Nice one Ian..... love that horn!
Title: Re: Will it run?
Post by: Andy Cubin on March 02, 2016, 03:19:00 AM
Good luck Ian - she looks a beauty!
Title: Re: Will it run?
Post by: iansoady on March 02, 2016, 04:26:59 PM
I can't compete with Andy's video skills but here is a short clip of my Model 10 running. A few priming kicks, a couple of coughs, a touch more tickler and we have this:

https://youtu.be/sr3_CZckM0I


The only minor(???) problem is that the oil pump is not lifting oil from the wet sump so I couldn't run it for long. I have to say I was rather dubious about how that would work as it's essentially pulling at air so is probably cavitating. Ho-hum, timing cover off yet again and delve into it.

On the bright* side the 3-brush dynamo is working and charging properly via the cutout so that's a bonus.



*I seem to be unable to avoid the obvious puns today.........
Title: Delayed gratification
Post by: iansoady on March 03, 2016, 02:25:03 PM
I decided the only way to find out whether the oil pump did in fact - er pump - was to make up a simple test rig.

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/iansoady/bike/Sunbeam/lubrication/IMG_3640_zpsbqtbmllp.jpg)

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/iansoady/bike/Sunbeam/lubrication/IMG_3641_zps1gqzvsqu.jpg)

and run the pump with a cordless drill:

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/iansoady/bike/Sunbeam/lubrication/IMG_3642_zpsa5zomz1w.jpg)

After some time oil started to emerge in a bubbly stream! What's more, when I tried my oil pressure tell tale this popped out in a very satisfying manner. I do have some video which I'll try to upload later.

So I'd been panicking over nothing and had merely not allowed enough time for the pump to do its work in situ. Now to screw it all back together hoping that I can make it oiltight again....

BTW the rather crude repair to the mag chaincase is visible in these pictures. Not my own work but serviceable enough.
Title: Re: Will it run?
Post by: phutton on March 03, 2016, 05:38:12 PM
Very well done on the restoration, Ian - it looks a real credit to you and your tenacity!

Paul
Title: Re: Will it run?
Post by: iansoady on March 04, 2016, 10:32:31 AM
Many thanks Paul. It's been a challenge at times but worth the effort.

Proof of the oil pump working:

https://youtu.be/abCiR738RhE

and even the pressure indicator popping out:

https://youtu.be/QCgO0_v_erc
Title: Re: Will it run?
Post by: iansoady on March 07, 2016, 01:49:50 PM
All back together and success - oil pressure indicator working.

What I've discovered is that it needs to be running at something over fast idle speed to actually pump any oil so when I just had it ticking over on the stand it wouldn't have pumped anyway.

I'd rather not have had to disturb all my painstakingly achieved oiltight joints (although I think I've managed to recreate them) but I'm happier having tested everything rather than just hoping.
Title: Re: Will it run?
Post by: singleminded on March 07, 2016, 03:56:57 PM
ALWAYS better safe than sorry.
It would be interesting to see if the bigend dips into the oil in the sump, or is the oil flung over a small reservoir wall by the flywheels as the Panther does..John
Title: Re: Will it run?
Post by: iansoady on March 07, 2016, 04:11:44 PM
I'm not sure as I didn't split the crankcases, but I don't think so.

It's not truly wet sump as the oil is held in a separate part of the casting underneath the actual crankcase so I don't think the crankcase communicates directly with it. The crankshaft is fed directly from the pump.

My impression is that when oil reaches a certain level in the crankcase it spills over into the timing chest which has a hole at the bottom so it then drains back to the oil tank. Quite a clever idea really although it does make ground clearance somewhat minimal.

Blurry pic:

(http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e398/iansoady/bike/Sunbeam/lubrication/oil%20drain_zpsll94swec.jpg)